GRIMLY SARCASTIC.

NZ Truth, Issue 93, 30 March 1907, Page 5

GRIMLY SARCASTIC.

Stauton's Dream of the Future.

There is a Spanish proverb whichhas.it that the sarcastic young man is mostly a fool, and there is a lot of wisdom m the. proverb. Sarcasm is a double-edged weapon, and . is likely often to do damage to the wiehier. Still' if subtly employed it can bite like an infuriated bull-ant. It is a deadly weapon, and must be used carefully. This is borne out tp 'tfPruth" by the action of some anonymous ■Anti-Ohowite of the Wairar rapa, who, during the week, seat along . a virile, biting -sarcastic gibe at the alien, which somehow pr. other passed the sentinal who controls the columns of that pro-Chow organ, "The Wairarapa Daily Times," and inviting "Truth," as it generally is invited. *to deal it out hot and strong to the letter-writer. Because he "writ sarcastic," . our anonymous "sooler-on" s.omeiow or other could not see through' it. Certainly, we sfctall not serve it out hot, or even coM to the "Wairarapa Times"correspondent. On the contrary, his letter deserves to be republiished because it bites' hard and grips, though sarcasm on such a matter is not desirable. Plain, blunt, strong, and out-spoken AmglorSaxon is what we want to hear on the Chow question. The letter is as follows :

FRIEND OR FOE ?,

(To the Editor.)

Sir-,— l have seen a lot, of correspondence m the local papers lately with regard to a well-behaved and civil section, of the community—l refen to the Chinese. The fact is that most of our white workers expect too much for their labor (?). I think that we ought to welcome the Chinese to our shores. Now at one time I had to get my wife, to do up my shirts, or pay sixpence to some haughty laundress. Now I set them ■beautifully glossed for 3d. Also I have lived m parts of New : Zealand Where I had to actually dig the soil and grow my own vegetables; here they are brought round to my door by a civil industrious Chinese. Now, there are great possibilities m store for New Zealand ; there are many positions . which could be very well filled by this civil, industrious race. They could be well employed constructing the Main Trunk line, and would do it at less than half the cost of our white laborer, and be well pleased to get it, and, as, they live oh a little rice, etc.,. they would save money; not swipe it m beer. Our engine-drivers, I understand, get from lOs to 12s per day. Now, could not the sober Chinamen be taught to drive our locomotives, and he would, do it for 5s a day, nor would he grumble if he had to work overtime. Our clergy, too, 1 are a constant drain on our pocket (the salaries of bishops\ I believe, running into thousands). Now, if we could get some of our Christian Chinese to fill their positions they would \e 'quite willing to take over a bisnoprjc for. ifiuch less than thousands. Of course we could not expect to place them m these positions all at once* but the faculty with, which a Chinese can adapt himself to our circumstances would make the time required much shorter than one would think. These and many other positions are quite within the bounds of reason, for I hs<ve jead that m those parts of Africa the baboons and. monkeys are taught to do laboring work, and if monkeys can be sortrained .surely an intelligent race of human beings can be taught to do such easy tasks as those set out above. When one

thinks of the saving it would be tkese suggestions must surely commend themselves. The Chinese have proved that they can work against the Europeans m the furniture trade and other- lines. lam looking forward to the time when I will he able to listen to a Chinese sermon, by a Christianised Chinaman, on anthem by a Chinese choir to the strains of an organ played by a Chinese organist, and I will guarantee that the church which adopts such measures will cut down expenses by one half. Thanking, you m anticipation, I am, 1 etc., JAMES STANTON. Kuripuni, Masterton.